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No. 6ll,645. Patented Oct. 4, I898.. J. PALMER.

' ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

(Application filed May a, 71897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

S E S S E N U W No. 6Il,645. I I atented Oct. 4, I898.

J. PALMER.

ATTACHMENT FOB KNITTING MACHINES.

(Applicatiun filed. May 8, 1897.) (No, Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

WITNESSES:

:m: Noam; rsrzns ca, PHOTO LITHD.. WASNINGTON, n. c.

N0. 6|l,645.' Patented Oct. 4, I898.

J. PALMER.

ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

(Application filed May 3, 189 7.)

6 044 22;- S MW rricn.

J OIIN PALMER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TOEDWVARD II. GODSIIALK, OF SAME PLACE.

ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 611 ,645, dated October4, 1898. Application filed May 3, 1897- Serial No. 634,807. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Penn'-sylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Attachments forKnitting-Machines, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in knitting-machines; and itconsists of an attachment therefor embodying novel means wherebypresser-wheels may be moved to and from the beards of the needles, so asto cause said beards at certain times to take hold of the yarn fed tothem and at other times permit the yarn to slip over the beards, so thata fabric may be produced which shall contain in certain portions thereofloops at regular intervals and in other portions thereof shall containfloats, whereby knit fabrics of various designs or patterns may beproduced.

It also consists of novel details of construction, all as will behereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents an end elevation of my improved attachment forknitting-machines. Fig. 2 represents a partial side elevation andpartial vertical section of the attachment embodying my invention. Fig.3 represents a plan view of certain portions of the attachment shown inFig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a plan View of a presser-wheel employed inconnection with my invention. Fig. 5 represents a partial side elevationand partial vertical section of certain detached portions of theattachment. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section of a portion of thepresser-wheel seen in Fig. 4, the same being on an enlarged scale. Fig.7 represents a horizontal section of the portion shown in Fig. 6, but ina different position. Fig. 8 represents ahorizontal section of theportion shown in Fig. 6 in its advanced position. Fig. 9 represents ahorizontal section of the portion shown in Fig. 7 in its advancedposition.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bed or base plate of theattachment, the same being provided with openings 2, through which boltsor screws 3 may by passed for securing said attachment to aknitting-machine. (Not shown.)

Depending from the base-plate 1 is a hanger 4, in the lower portion ofwhich is a slot 1 through which is passed a stud-shaft 5, on which islooselymounted a sprocket-Wheel 6, around which passes a pattern-chain7. The object of the slot 4* is for the purpose of adjustin g the shaft5 relatively to certain parts to be hereinafter referred to.

Secured to the hub of the sprocket-wheel 6, in the present instance by aset-screw 8, is a ratchet-wheel 9, which may be driven by anywell-knownmechanism, so as to impart motion to said sprocket-wheel 6, so that thelatter may transmit motion to the patternchain 7.

It will be evident that, if desired, the sprocket-wheel 6 andratchet-wheel 9 may be formed in one piece.

Firmly secured to the outer portion of the shaft 5 is a bracket 10, thesame being provided with a slot 11, through which is passed a stud-shaft12, on which is loosely mounted an arm 13, provided with a roller 14,which is in contact with the pattern-chain 7 so that said roller, andconsequently the arm 13, may

be caused to rise and fall when said chain is in motion.

The arm 13 is provided with a slot 15, through which is passed a stud16, on which is loosely mounted a spring-actuated dog 17, which engagesthe teeth of a ratchet-wheel 18, so as to impart motion thereto for apurpose to be hereinafter described.

' secured to or formed integral with the ratchetwheel 18, so that themotion of the latter will be transmitted to said disk, and thereby causethe studs 20 and 21, (the latter being omitted in Fig. 3 for clearnessof illustration of said figure,) which project from the disk 19, toimpart motion to the reciprocating bars 22 and 23, respectively, and fora purpose to be hereinafter described.

The disk 19 is mounted on a shaft 24, which projects from a sleeve 25,which depends from the portion 26 of the device and in which latter areguided the reciprocating bars 22 and 23.

The ends of the hubs of the ratchetwheel 19 designates a disk which maybe either 18 and disk 19 abut against a nut 27, which is fitted on thethreaded portion of the shaft 24 and is retained in position on saidshaft by a jam-nut 28.

Interposed between the disk 19 and sleeve 25 and encircling the shaft 24is a spring 29, which retains said disk in its proper positionrelatively to the sleeve 25 by preventing the disk from moving towardsaid sleeve. The spring 29 acts also as a tension device on the disk 19and prevents the latter from rotating when not driven by theratchet-wheel 18.

Depending from the portion 26 of the device is a sleeve 30, which isguided on a post 31, which rises from the base-plate 1, it being notedthat the sleeve 25 is guided on a post 25 which also rises from thebed-plate 1, the object of said sleeves and posts being to permit theportion 26 and parts carried thereby to be raised and lowered for thepurpose of an adjustment to be hereinafter described.

The sleeves 25 and 30 are each provided with a set-screw 32, whichretain said sleeves firmly in position when the same have been adjusted.

Rising from the base-plate 1 is a boss 33, in which is fitted a bolt 34,whose head bears against the under side of the portion 26 of the device,the object of said bolt being to either raise or lower the portion 26and parts carried thereby, it being evident that when the bolt isrotated in a certain direction it will raise the portion 26 of thedevice and when rotated in a reverse direction will permit said portion26 to descend. v

The reciprocating rod 22 has secured thereto a finger 36, the latterbeing provided with a slot 36 through which is passed a screw 38, whichretains said finger in position on said rod.

The object of the slot 36 is to permit the finger 36 to be moved in thedirection of its length on the reciprocating rod 22, so as to adjust thelatter relatively to the needles 37 for a purpose to be hereinafterdescribed.

The reciprocating bar 23 is provided with an adjustable finger 38 whoseobject is the same as above described in connection with the finger 36.

The reciprocating bars 22 and 23 are provided with the cross-pieces 39and 40, respectively. Projecting from the cross-piece 39 are brackets41, which carry the presserwheels 42, as best seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and5, it being evident that said wheels will be moved to and fro by thereciprocating motion of the bar 22. The cross-piece 40 is provided withbrackets 43, which carry the presser-Wheels 44, which are moved to andfro by the reciprocating motions of the bar 23.

Secured to the portion 26 of the device is a stop for limiting themovement in one direction of the reciprocating bars 22 and 23 for apurpose to be hereinafter described, it being noted that the stop 45 isprovided with slots 46 for the purpose of adjusting it relatively to thestuds 47, which project from the sides of the reciprocating bars 22 and23 and move in a slot 47 on both sides of the portion 26 of the device.The stop 45 is retained in its adjusted position by bolts 48, whichenter the slots 46 and are screwed into the top of the portion 26 of thedevice.

The reciprocating bars 22 and 23 are provided with springs 49 forreturning the same to their normal positions after having been movedforward by the studs 20 and 21 on the disk 19.

The portion 26 of the device'is provided with a block 50, which supportsthe posts 51, and the latter may be raised and lowered in said block forthe purpose of an adjustment to be hereinafter described, and whenadjusted may be firmly held in position by setscrews 52. The posts 51carry the rods 53, on which are mounted the yarn-wheels 54, and each ofsaid rods has secured to it a yarnguide similar to that shown at in Fig.2, and both rods 53 may be adjusted by sliding the same in openings inthe posts 51, through which they are passed, so as to move theyarnwheels 54 either toward or away from the needles 37, as may berequired.

WVhen the yarn-wheels 54 have been properly adjusted relatively to theneedles 37 ,the rods 53, which carry said wheels, may each be secured inits adjusted position by tightening a set-screw 57 in each post 51.

The operation is as follows: The set-screws 57 are loosened, so as topermit the rods 53 to be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow ain Fig. 2, and when the yarn-wheels from this point to and under theyarn-wheel 54, so as to be fed to the needles 37, and consequentlyproduce a knit fabric. The set-screw 38 is then loosened and the end ofthe finger 36 is brought against the inner upright face of the disk 19,it being understood that when the finger 36 is in this position the endthereof which contacts with the inner face of the disk 19 will occupy aspace between two adjacent studs 20. The reciprocating bar 22 is thenmoved toward the needles 37, so as to bring the presser-wheel 42 in sucha position relatively to said needles that the beards of the latter willenter the shallow and deep slots 58 and 59, respectively, in said wheel42. The beards of the needles 37 enter the slots 58 and 59 just enoughto impart a rotary motion to said wheel when the needles 37 are beingcarried around by the needie-cylinder in the usual manner, as will beunderstood from Fig. 4. The set-screw 38 is then tightened, so as tofirmly retain the finger 36 in its adjusted position on thereciprocating bar 22. The reciprocating bar 23 and the finger 38 thereonare adjusted in the same manner as that described in connection with thebar 22 and finger 36, the adjustment of the bar 23 and finger 38" beingto so locate the presser-wheel 44 that the shallow and deep slots 60 and61, respectively, therein shall engage the needles 37 in a similarmanner and for the same object as thatdescribed in connection with thepresser-wheel 42 and needles 37 It will be observed that thepresser-wheels 42 are located above the presser-wheels 44 and that oneof the former and one of the latter are worked in pairs, the object ofwhich will be hereinafter explained.

It will be seen by referring to Fig. 1 that the studs 20 and 21 areequal in number and that a radial line drawn from the center of a stud21 will pass through the space between two adjacent studs 20 and midwaybetween the latter, it being evident that by thus 10- cating the seriesof studs 20 relatively to the series of studs 21 the two series will bein staggered order relative to each other. It will be apparent that bythus locating the studs 20 and 21 it will be impossible for thereciprocating bar 22 to be advanced by a stud 20 when the reciprocatingbar 23 is in its ad vanced position. Neither will it be possible for thereciprocating bar 23 to be advanced by a stud 21 when the bar 22 is inits advanced position. The stud-shaft 5, the arm 13, and stud l6 arethen adjusted so as to properly locate said parts relatively to eachother, and motion is then imparted to the ratchet-wheel 9 in anywell-known mannerfor instance, by a risingand-falling arm 9 and a dog 10(See Fig. 1.) The sprocket-wheel 6 in rotating will transmit motion totheYpattern-chain 7, and when a link 7 therein passes under the roller14 the latter, and consequently the arm 13 and dog 17, will be raisedand the latter will impart a partial rotation to the ratchet-wheel 18and disk 19. When a link 7 X passes from under the roller 14, the latterwill drop and carry with it the arm 13 and springpressed dog 17, so asto cause the latter to engage with another tooth of the ratchetwheel 18,so that a partial rotation may again be imparted to said wheel when asubsequent link 7 passes thereunder. The disk 19,when not impelled bythe dog 17, will be caused to remain stationary by the pressure of thespring 29 thereagainst, and improper rotation of the same cannot occur.The disk 19, when rotated, will cause a stud 20 thereon to contact withthe finger 36, and thereby advance the same, and also thereciprocating-bar 22, the cross-piece 39, and presser-wheels 42, as isevident. When a slot 59 in a presserwheel 42 registers with a needle 37,as best seen in Fig. 6, said wheel will produce no effect on the needle,for when said wheel is advanced by the mechanism hereinbefore describedthe slot 59 will permit the needle 37 to enter therein, as seen in Fig.8, and the same will remain in its normal or vertical position, as'shown in full lines in Fig. 5, thereby causing the yarn 56 to enterthebeard of the needle and be formed into a loop in the usual manner inthe process of knitting.

It will be evident that sometimes two or more slots 59 may be made toregister at the same time with a corresponding number of needles, thenumber of consecutive slots being determined by the pattern of thefabric.

When a slot 58 in a presser-wheel 42 registers with a needle 37, thelatter will be deflected or bent out of its normal or vertical position,as shown at b in dotted lines in Fig. 5, when a presser-wheel 42 isadvanced.

In Figs. 6 and 8 two slots 58 are shown, and in the former figure thepresser-wheel 42 and needles 37 are in their normal positions. When thepresserwheel 42 is advanced, as hereinbefore described, the same will bemoved in the direction indicated by the arrow in said Fig. 6, and theslot 59 in said presserwheel will produce no effect on the needle 37 inits path, as hereinbefore stated, but the slots 58 will bear against thebeards of the needles 37 with which they contact and close the same andalso deflect the upper portions of said needles, causing said portionsto bend, and in so doing be moved from their original positions (seen atc in Fig. 8) to the positions seen at d in said figure. The yarn 56 fedto the needles 37 which are deflected will be'prevented from enteringthe beards of the same, as the latter are closed by the slots 58 in thepresser-Wheel 42, and said yarn must consequently slip off the needleswhen the presserwheel 42 is returned to its normal position, and therebyform a float in the fabric, the length of said float depending on thenumber of consecutive slots 58 presented to the needles 37. When a stud20 leaves the finger 36, due to the rotation of the disk 19, thereciprocating bar 22 will be returned to its normal position by thespring 52, so as to be in readiness for a subsequent stud 20. Then thereciprocating bar 22 has returned to its normal position,a stud 21 onthe disk 19 is brought into contact with the finger 38 of thereciprocatin g bar 23 and causes said finger 38 the bar 23, and thepresser-wheel 44 to advance, so as to produce the same results as thosedescribed in connection with the presserwheel 42.

In Fig. 7 the presser-wheel 44 and needles 37 are shown in their normalpositions, and when said presser-wheel is advanced and moved in thedirection indicated by the arrow in said figure the needles 37 whichregister with the slots 61 will enter the same, as shown in Fig. 9, andwill remain in their vertical positions, so as to permit the yarn ted tothem to enter their beards and be formed into loops in the usual mannerin the process of knitting. The needle 37 which registers with thesl otwill be deflected or bent by the same, due to the forward movement ofthe wheel 44, and the upper portion of said needle will be moved fromits original position (seen at e in Fig. 9) to that shown at in saidfigure. The needle 37 thus deflected will have its beard closed, so asto permit the yarn fed to said needle to slip off the same and form afloat in the fabric, the length of said float corresponding to thenumber of consecutive slots in the wheel 44:. When the bar 23 "isreturned to its normal position by the spring 49 and the finger 38 onsaid bar occupies a space between two adjacent studs 21, the bar 22 isagain advanced by a stud 20, so as to cause the presser-wheel 42 thereinto again deflect certain needles 37 for the purpose hereinbeforedescribed, it being noted that when the bar 22 is advancing the bar 23is receding, and vice versa.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an attachment for aknitting-machine, a bed-plate with a dependinghanger having a slot therein, a stud-shaft adjustable in said slot, asprocket-wheel mounted on said shaft, a bracket secured to said shaftand provided with a slot near its outer end, a stud-shaft adj ustable insaid slot, an arm loosely mounted on said shaft, a roller carried bysaid arm, a springoperated dog mounted on said arm and means actuated bysaid dog.

2. An attachment for knitting-machines having a bed with a dependinghanger, a stud in said hanger, a bracket secured to said stud, anadjustable stud-shaft secured to said bracket, an arm mounted on saidstud-shaft and carrying a pawl, a rotatable disk provided with a ratchetand projecting pins, sliding bars having fingers engaged by said pinsand presser-wheels carried by said sliding bars and adapted to engageneedles on the knitting-machine.

'3. In an attachment fora knitting-machine, a bed-plate, a supportadjustable thereon, upper and lower sliding bars guided laterally insaid support, cross-pieces secured to one end of said bars and havingarms with presserwheels mounted thereon, fingers adjustable on the otherends of said bars, disks or plates having pins thereon adapted tocontact with said fingers and mechanism substantially as describedconnected with and actuating said disks for imparting an alternating andreciprocating motion to said bars.

4. In an attachment for a knitting-machine, a bed-plate with a dependinghanger, a support adjustable on said bed-plate, horizontal sliding barsguided in said support having pressenwheels on one end and adjustablefingers on the other, an upright disk provided with concentric rows ofstaggered pins engaging said fingers and mechanism connected with andsupported on said hanger for imparting an intermittent motion to saiddisk.

5. In an attachment for knitting-machines, a ratchet-wheel suitablysupported, a sprocket-Wheel rotatable in unison with said ratchetwheeland adapted to have a'pattern-chain passing therearound, a bearing forsaid ratchet-wheel and sprocket-wheel, an arm bearing a roller, abracket extending from said bearing and having one end pivotallyattached to said arm, said roller being adapted to be intermittentlyraised and lowered by means of said pattern-chain, a pawl supported onsaid arm and adapted to engage a ratchet-wheel, a disk adapted to rotatein unison with said ratchet-wheel, and a series of peripherallyrecessedpresser-wheels, in proximity to the needles of a knitting-machine, incombination with mechanism intermediate said wheels and disks forimparting a reciprocating motion to said wheels.

6. In an attachment for a knitting-machine, a bed-plate with a dependinghanger, a support on said bed-plate provided with horizontally slidingbars guided therein, presser- Wheels and adjustable fingers on saidbars, an upright disk provided with pins engaging said fingers, a blockon said support carrying vertically-adjustable posts, rods adjustable insaid posts having yarn-wheels mounted thereon, yarn-guides on said rods,and mechanism connected with and supported on said hanger for impartingan intermittent motion to said disk.

7. In an attachment for knitting-machines, a bed having sleevessupported thereupon, a body portion 26 carried by said sleeves, an adjusting-screw supported upon said bed and adapted to raise and lower saidbody portion, a plurality of sets of reciprocating bars supported onsaid body portion, fingers adjustably attached to said bars, a pluralityof recessed presser-wheels carried by the latter,

and means for reciprocating said fingers, bars and wheels.

8. An attachment for a knitting-machine having a bed with a dependinghanger, a stud on said hanger, a rotatable sprocket-wheel mounted onsaid stud, a bracket secured to the latter, an adjustable stud-shaft onsaid bracket, an arm loosely mounted on said studshaft, a roller on saidarm adapted to work on a pattern-chain on said sprocket-wheel, aspring-pressed pawl adjustable on said arm, a rotatable disk with aratchet engaged by said pawl, pins projecting from said disk and slidingbars actuated by contact with said pins and carrying presser-wheelsadapted to engage needles on a knitting-machine.

9. In an attachment for a knitting-machine, a bed-plate with a dependinghanger, a support on said plate, sliding bars guided in said supporteach having a cross-piece provided with presser-wheels on one end andeach having an adjustable finger on its other end, a plate or disk withinner and outer concentric rows of staggered pins engaging said fingersrespectively, and mechanism connected with and supported by said hangerfor imparting an intermittent motion to said disk.

10. An attachment for a knitting-machine ing said bars, a pattern-chainand mechanism operated by contact with said pattern-chain 10 forrotating said disk.

JOHN PALMER.

Witnesses: V

JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, WM. 0. WIEDERsHEIM.

